Niamh vs Zoe
Niamh and Zoecompared on official birth-registration statistics and Namewise's recorded data. This page states what each name's record shows — it never picks a winner or scores one name against the other.
Head to head
Ranks are only compared within one published list and one year. Two ranks from different years, from a boys' and a girls' list, or from different registrars are not comparable, so they are not placed side by side.
New Zealand · Girls
In 2000, Niamh was ranked #94 and Zoe #28 among girls in New Zealand.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
In 2025, Niamh was ranked #90 and Zoe #46 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
Northern Ireland · Girls
In 2024, Niamh was ranked #47 and Zoe #105 among girls in Northern Ireland.
Scotland · Girls
In 2024, Niamh was ranked #76 and Zoe #76 among girls in Scotland.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2025, Niamh was ranked #208 and Zoe #104 among girls in England and Wales.
Niamh and Zoe over time
Niamh and Zoe appear together in 3 published lists, across 115 years of shared records. Niamh held the stronger position in more years in 2 of them, Zoe in 1.
The order between them changed and held in one of those lists — a change in that published list, never a claim that one name displaced the other.
Zoe reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 2 of those lists, Niamh in 1. Each position is a place inside its own list, so this compares when they peaked and never how high.
Counted list by list. Two names in the same published list are measured on the same scale in the same year, so those comparisons are real — but positions from different lists are not, so nothing here is combined into an overall standing.
How this pair is related
The relationship kinds these two qualify for, each under its own stated rule. Every one is drawn from a list they both appear in.
- One moved ahead of the other
In 2012, Zoe moved ahead of Niamh in Republic of Ireland · Girls — #30 and #37 the year before became #37 and #34.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Niamh and Zoe changed places 4 times in England and Wales · Girls between 1996 and 2025, ending at #208 and #104.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 30 shared years in England and Wales · Girls, Niamh and Zoe averaged 26.1 places apart, ending at #208 and #104.
- Mirrored each other
Over 57 shared years in Republic of Ireland · Girls, Zoe rose about as far as Niamh fell — from #50 and #401 in 1968 to #90 and #46 in 2025.
- Longest-running competitions
Niamh and Zoe were both ranked in England and Wales · Girls for 30 years, from 1996 to 2025, ending at #208 and #104.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Girls57 shared years, 1968–2025
Niamh held the stronger position in 43 of those years, Zoe in 14.
Highest recorded here: Niamh #2 in 1993, Zoe #26 in 2016.
The order changed in 2012: Zoe moved ahead. In 2011 they stood at #30 and #37; by 2012 that had become #37 and #34.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Niamh #90, Zoe #46.
England and Wales · Girls30 shared years, 1996–2025
Niamh held the stronger position in 12 of those years, Zoe in 18.
Highest recorded here: Niamh #40 in 2000, Zoe #31 in 1996.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Niamh #208, Zoe #104.
Northern Ireland · Girls28 shared years, 1997–2024
Niamh held the stronger position in 28 of those years, Zoe in 0.
Highest recorded here: Niamh #5 in 2005, Zoe #32 in 2002.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Niamh #47, Zoe #105.
Two names moving past each other in a ranking is a fact about the ranking. Namewise does not claim one name displaced the other, that families chose between them, or that either influenced the other — none of that is in this data.
Side by side
| Field | Niamh | Zoe |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | female | female |
| Meaning | Traditionally interpreted as 'bright' or 'radiant'. In Irish mythology, Niamh was daughter of the sea god Manannán mac Lir, who fell in love with the poet Oisín. | Means 'life' in Greek. |
| Origin | Irish (mythological) | Ancient Greek |
| Pronunciation | /ˈnʲiːvˠ/ | /ˈzoʊi/ |
| Syllables | 1 | 1 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Neve, Níam | Not yet recorded |
| Recorded regional usage | GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZ | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | Republic of Ireland · Girls #90 (2025) | New South Wales, Australia · Girls #19 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 94/100 | 95/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | high | medium |
What the data shows
- Niamh is recorded with a Irish (mythological) origin, while Zoe is recorded with a Ancient Greek origin.
- Niamh and Zoe both have 1 syllable.
- Niamh's recorded meaning differs from Zoe's — see the table above for each.
- Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZ.
- The available evidence gives Niamh a "high" Data Confidence level and Zoe a "medium" level — this reflects how complete and corroborated the underlying evidence is, not a judgement of either name.
How each name got here
Niamh
Popularity journey
First recorded1964
First recorded at #109 among girls in Republic of Ireland in 1964 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
Highest recorded1964–2025
Highest recorded position: #2 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 1993 (recorded 1964–2025).
Republic of Ireland · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #208 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.
England and Wales · Girls
Zoe
Popularity journey
First recorded1968
First recorded at #401 among girls in Republic of Ireland in 1968 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
Highest recorded1981–2025
Highest recorded position: #8 among girls in New South Wales, Australia, in 2015 (recorded 1981–2025).
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #104 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.
England and Wales · Girls